Night Whispers/Chapter 7
Chapter description :Ivypaw is limping, due to her foot being sore from battle training with Hawkfrost in the Dark Forest. She is mentioned as still being ruffled from her previous argument with Dovepaw. She tries to disguise her sprained paw, but found her Clanmates crowded around Firestar when she enters the ThunderClan camp. She asks what's going on, and then notices Jayfeather staring at her from the Highrock. She immediately guesses that Jayfeather knows she's been training in the Dark Forest, and vows that he will be pleased when he sees how great of a warrior she is becoming. :Blossomfall explains that ShadowClan has not marked their new border. Ivypaw is relieved, expecting that there was something more serious going on. She glances upwards at Jayfeather, whose stare returned to a blind gaze. Blossomfall was taken aback, saying that them not marking the border meant that they hadn't recognized that their territory was taken from them. Blossomfall threatens that they better not cross the border, and heads off towards the warriors' den, asking Ivypaw if she was going to help finish fixing it. :Cinderheart quickly asks Ivypaw where she had been, stating that Dovepaw had been back for ages. Ivypaw tells her that she had wanted to practice her stalking skills until she got it right. Cinderheart tells Ivypaw that she must be hungry, and encourages her to eat before helping Dovepaw and Leafpool with the den. Ivypaw wants something else to do. Cinderheart guesses that Ivypaw wasn't on good terms with her sister, and tells her that there was no need to be jealous. :Ivypaw picks out a shrew from the pile and sits down to eat. She notices Leafpool heading towards her with Foxleap. Leafpool says that Cinderheart had told her Ivypaw was going to help with the rebuilding. Foxleap comments that the den was going to be great when it was finished. Ivypaw sighs, reluctantly agreeing to help. Rosepetal bounds across the clearing, also agreeing to help. She states that the fallen tree had become part of the camp. Ivypaw drops a mouthful of twigs beside Dovepaw, and trots off to begin weaving twigs in the gaps before her sister could say anything. :Blossomfall comments that Ivypaw had nimble paws. She gives her a long whip of willow through the hole in the branches, telling Ivypaw to guide it. Ivypaw asks Blossomfall why any cat isn't talking about the battle, to which Blossomfall inquires why should they. Ivypaw tells her that they could be learning how to fight better, but Blossomfall is fine by the fact that ThunderClan won. Ivypaw says that they might not win next time, and that ShadowClan was probably training harder now that they experienced defeat. Blsossomfall remarks that there is more to worry about than just fighting, and Ivypaw thinks that it's no wonder Hawkfrost doesn't visit her dreams. :Later on in the day, Ivypaw is circling in her nest, hoping to fall asleep before Dovepaw came in for the night. Just as Ivypaw closes her eyes, Dovepaw pokes her head through the ferns, calling Ivypaw's name. Ivypaw pretends to be asleep, and before long, actually falls asleep. She awakes in the Dark Forest, much to her discontent. Her scratches and her paw injury from the previous night hurt her and she wished to sleep the whole night for once. :Ivypaw turns to find Antpelt, who gives her a curt nod. He is later called by a distant voice and races away. Ivypaw strains to rear on her hind legs to see who had called Antpelt, but the pain in her paw sends her stumbling back down. She is greeted by Tigerheart, who says she is looking tired. Ivypaw says that he looks tired as well, and he yawns and says that he wouldn't mind one night's sleep. Tigerheart goes on to ask Ivypaw if he had happened to bring Dovepaw tonight. Ivypaw angrily tells him that the Dark Forest wanted her, not her sister, and charges towards the trees. She wonders if Tigerheart had a crush on Dovepaw, and snorts that Dovepaw wouldn't waste her tie breaking the warrior code, as Ivypaw liked to hear Lionblaze praise her constantly. :Not realizing where she was running, Ivypaw runs into Mapleshade on accident. Unbeknownst who she had just rammed, Ivypaw snarls that it was a dumb place to sit. Mapleshade quickly leaps on the apprentice, snarling at Ivypaw to show some respect. She says that the Dark Forest is no place to die, because beyond there was nothing. Hawkfrost appears, telling Mapleshade to let her go. Ivypaw, who's breath was restricted, took deep gasps and scrambles to her paws. Hawkfrost quickly snaps at her to pull herself together. :Mapleshade tells Hawkfrost to keep his visitors under control. Ivypaw apologizes, but Hawkfrost says to not worry about her, and that she's been there for a long time. Ivypaw then asks if all cats fade away. Hawkfrost answers that they do eventually. Ivypaw tells herself that she never wants to fade away, and follows Hawkfrost towards the trees. Hawkfrost notices that she is limping, and asks if she is okay. Ivypaw says she's fine. Hawkfrost tells her that if she's not up for training that she should go home. Ivypaw says that he should be glad that she's here, since Jayfeather knows what is going on. Hawkfrost turns, inquiring what exactly Jayfeather knew about. Ivypaw confesses that he knows she comes here, and that Dovepaw had told her. Hawkfrost thinks out loud that Dovepaw must know too, and wants a further answer from Ivypaw, whom is puzzled at his pause. :Ivypaw asks if she's doing anything wrong. Hawkfrost reassures her that she's doing nothing wrong, and that he would warn her if she was. He leads her into a clearing where a large rock jutted from the earth that cats were circled around. Ivypaw recognizes Antpelt and Tigerheart in the crowd, along with Minnowtail of RiverClan and Breezepelt of WindClan. Ivypaw halts beside a white tom with a long scar, whom Hawkfrost introduces as Snowtuft. Ivypaw shyly nods, careful not to stare at his scar. Hawkfrost introduces her to more cats, such as Shredtail and Sparrowfeather. Thistleclaw is then greeted by Hawkfrost in such a manner that made her jump. She remembers nursery tales about Thistleclaw, who had been Tigerstar's mentor. He greets Hawkfrost, saying that there are not many with them that night. :Thistleclaw nods to Shredtail and tells him to get on the rock. He explains that he must work together to knock him off the rock without letting him strike a blow to their heads. Promptly after telling them to begin, Sparrowfeather leaps at Shredtail, and catches him off balance. Ivypaw crouches down and launches herself at Shredtail, whom was knocked aside by Antpelt. Thistleclaw yowls that he told them to work together, and clouts Antpelt's ear. Ivypaw swiftly flees to where Tigerheart was standing on his hind paws. She joins him in his attempt to bring down Shredtail. :Shredtail grows frantic with all the blows chiming in at once. Ivypaw takes advantage of this, and springs forward with both paws. She feels him stagger, feeling that she had gotten him, but Shredtail quickly spins around and faces her. He goes for her eyes and misses. Ivypaw is shocked, knowing that if she were any closer she would've been blinded. Shredtail's hind legs suddenly give out underneath him as Sparrowfeather hauls him from the rock. Her teeth sunk into him, and Shredtail yowled in agony. Thistleclaw roars an objection, stating that they should be working ''together, and swung a paw to knock her backwards. She crashes, and lays unmoving in the grass. :Thistleclaw looks at the onlooking cats. He says that he told them to knock him off, not drag him. Sparrowfeather twitched and lifted her head, and Thistleclaw tells her that she cheated. Sparrowfeather mews an apology, and Thistleclaw growls at her to get up. He tells her that it is her turn to get on the rock, and for this time not to cheat. Characters Major }} Minor *Dovepaw *Jayfeather *Blossomfall *Cinderheart *Leafpool *Foxleap *Rosepetal *Antpelt *Tigerheart *Mapleshade *Snowtuft *Shredtail *Sparrowfeather *Thistleclaw }} Mentioned *Birchfall *Bumblestripe *Lionblaze *Minnowtail *Breezepelt }} Notes and references Category:Omen of the Stars arc Category:Chapter subpages Category:Night Whispers